Tape wrapping machine and method



Och 1956 R. B. BENTLEY TAPE WRAPPING MACHINE ANDMETHOD 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 23, 1955 HIS ATTORNEYS 0a. 23, 1956 R B, BENTLEY 2,767,535

TQPE WRAPPING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed June 23, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. RAYMOND B BENTLEY R. B. BENTLE Y TAPE WRAPPING MACHINE ANDMETHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 23, 1955.

FEEH a3 RAYMOND a, BENTLEY H/s Afro/MUS 2,767,535 TAPE WRAPPING MACHINEAND NIETHOD Raymond B. Bentley, Pacific Grove, Calif. Application June23, 1955, Serial No. 517,728 16 Claims. (Cl. 53198) My invention relatesto the packaging of items involving bunched elements and moreparticularly to a tape wrapping machine and method employable in thebinding of items such as celery or the like.

This application is a continuation-impart of my copending applicationfor Tape Wrapping Machine and Method, Serial No. 429,480, filed May 13,1954, now abandoned.

Among the objects of my invention are:

1. To provide a novel and improved machine for packaging items involvingbunched elements;

2. To provide a novel and improved machine for the binding of items suchas celery or the like;

3. To provide a novel and improved machine for binding celery or thelike in a rapid and uniform manner;

4. To provide a novel and improved machine for binding celery or thelike, which machine is substantially automatic in operation;

5. To provide a novel and improved method of binding items involvingbunched elements;

6. To provide a novel and improved method of binding items such ascelery or the like;

7. To provide a novel and improved method of binding celery or the likewhich will minimize damage thereto.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure l is a side view in elevation of a machine embodying theprinciples of the present invention and capable of functioning inaccordance with the method of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the machine of Figure 1 as seen fromthe opposite side;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of important components of the machineof Figure 1, partially broken away to expose details;

Figure 5 is a view depicting details of construction and function ofcertain of the components of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view of a cam detail appearing in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view illustrating details of reels for holding tape rollsemployed in the use of the machine of Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a view in elevation depicting a modified form of means foroperatively supporting the tape rolls.

Referring to the drawings for details of the invention in its preferredform, the machine illustrated therein involves a box type frame 1including upper and lower side rails 3 and 5 respectively, which aremaintained in vertical spaced relationship by the vertical spacermembers 7 connecting the upper rail and lower rail of a side,

' e the frame sides being connected by horizontal cross States Patent 0while the lower bearings carry members 9 connecting the upper side railsand similar cross-members connecting the lower side rails.

A vertical support member 13 afiixed at an intermediate point to theupper and lower rails of one side and extending above the upper rail,has mounted thereon a pair of shaft brackets 15 and 17 respectively, onebeing mounted at a point above the elevation of the upper rail, Whilethe second is mounted at a point below the elevation of such upper rail.Each of these shaft brackets carries a shaft 19 extending transverselyof the frame, on each of which is rotatably mounted, a reel 20 forholding a roll 21 of adhesive tape in spaced relationship to the otherin a common vertical plane through substantially the longitudinal axisof the frame. With the rolls so mounted, the free ends of the tape maybe brought together and sealed.

Carrier means are of the tapes when so joined, to bring each such itemadhesive engagement with the tapes and cause the same to wrap themselvesabout such item as the item continues its movement along such path.

Such carrier means may take the form of a pair of conveyor belts 23 and25 respectively, preferably of the link chain type, supported at one endof the frame by pulley drive means 27 and at the other end of the frameby pulley idler means 29, the conveyors being laterally spaced withrespect to each other, with one conveyor located to one side of theadhesive tapes While the other conveyor is located to the other sidethereof.

Each conveyor belt carries a plurality of uniformly spaced cradles 33,the cradles on one belt each being in alignment, transversely of theframe, with a cradle on the other belt, to jointly carry an item 34 tobe wrapped.

As the foremost item engages the adhesive tapes and causes the same towrap themselves about the item, the wrapping of such items is completedby forcing the two tapes into sealing engagement over a region closelyadjacent the trailing edge of the item, and then severing such tapesalong an intermediate portion of such region to free the wrapped itemand leave the tapes secured together in preparation for the next item tobe wrapped.

The sealing of the tapes to complete the wrapping operation isaccomplished through the utilization of a pair of star wheels 35 and 37respectively, having like numbers of spokes which preferably are hollowand open sided, with the circumferential spacing between spokes equal tothe spacing between successive cradles on the conveyor belts if thelinear'velocity of spoke ends and the conveyors is the same. Otherwise,a change in spacing would be called for to assure sealing of the tapesadjacent the trailing edge of each item.

These star wheels are rotatably supported in a common plane between theconveyor belts and in peripheral contact along corresponding spoke endsduring rotation, with the region of contact of each pair of engagingspoke ends occurring closely adjacent the trailing edge of the itembeing wrapped.

To locate and support the star wheels as indicated, I provide a verticalupright member 39 at each side of the frame, and on each of these ismounted an upper bearing above the elevation of the upper rail, and alower bearing below the elevation of the upper rail, the upper bearingssupporting the shaftfor the' upper star wheel, the shaft for the lowerstar wheel.

For severing the tapes at the appropriate point to free the wrapped itemand leave the ends of the tape rolls secured together for the nextoncoming item, I incorporate in'each of the spokes of the upper starwheel, a

knife blade 43, reciprocally supported in a slot 45 in the end of thespoke in which it is located. The blade is hingedly secured to the endof an adjustable link 47, the other end of which is hinged to the shortarm 49 of a lever 51 extending into the spoke through a side wallthereof and fulcrumed on a bracket 53 mounted on such spoke walladjacent the opening therein. The exposed arm 55 of each lever rides thesurface of a fixed cam 57 mounted on one of the upper bearings. A spring53 anchored under tension between each such lever and the star wheelshaft holds the lever against the earn, the contour of the cam beingsuch as to gradually retract a blade toward the hub of the star wheeluntil the tapes are in the process of being joined, at which instant thelever slips off the high spot of the cam and under the action of itsassociated spring, causes the blade to advance sharply and strike acutting blow against the tapes.

To realize coordinated and properly timed movements between theconveyors and the star wheel, they are both driven from a common sourcesuch as an electric motor 59 mounted on a platform or support 61 at thedrive end of the machine. A sprocket 63 mounted at one end of the pulleydrive means of the conveyors, .is connected by a drive chain 65 to theelectric motor and thus effects a drive connection to the conveyors.

From the other end of the pulley drive means, a sprocket 67 is connectedby a chain 68 to a sprocket 69 mounted at one end of the lower starwheel shaft to effect a drive connection to such star wheel.

Inasmuch as the upper star wheel must rotate in a direction opposite tothat of the lower star wheel, the drive connection to this star wheelmust take this factor into consideration. Accordingly, on the oppositeend of the lower star wheel shaft, a drive sprocket 71 is mounted toengage a chain loop 73 which encircles a sprocket 75 on thecorresponding end of the upper star wheel shaft and an idler sprocket 77rotatably mounted at a lower point on the frame of the machine.

Thus the drive connections to the conveyors and the star wheels all stemfrom a common source, and when onceadjusted, synchronism and timingbetween such components will be automatically maintained.

In the operation of the machine, the ends of the tape rolls are firststuck together and the machine then set in motion. The items to bewrapped, such as celery for example, are then placed one by one insuccessive pairs of cradles. The movement of the conveyor belts carriesthe first of such items into engagement with the tapes to tension thesame and at the same time to cause the tapes to wrap themselves aroundthe item, in the course of which, a spoke from the upper star wheel andone from the lower star wheel will come together adjacent the trailingedge of such item and secure the tapes together at that location.

Simultaneous with the securing of the tapes, the knife blade housed inthe spoke of the upper star wheel will sever such tapes along anintermediate section of the region which has just been stuck together.This frees the item which had just been wrapped, and at the same timeleaves the two ends of the tape rolls adhesively secured together inposition to be engaged by the next item in succession on the conveyors.

At the moment of severance of the tapes, it is desired that the securedends of the tape rolls be pulled in toward the item coming up forwrapping, rather than leaving the tapes dangling. This will assureprompt starting of the next wrapping operation under tension, regardlessof variation in size of the item to be wrapped. Each item, moreover, byits size determines the amount of adhesive tape unrolled for a wrappingoperation.

For this purpose, a compression spring 79 is disposed about each tapereel shaft 19 with one end anchored to the shaft and the other end tothe reel. The reel is preferably formed of a pair of disks 81, 83between which is resiliently held a roll of tape under the com pressiveaction of the spring 79. Withdrawal of tape during the initial portionof the wrapping operation, results in a winding up of the spring,following which the frictional grip of the disks on the tape roll isovercome, whereby, for the balance of the wrapping operation, the rollwill unwind relative to the reel. Upon severance of the tapes, the reelsdue to the wound up condition of the springs, will immediately rewindand take up the slack.

Inasmuch as the securing of the tapes by the star wheels occurs adjacentthe trailing edge of the item in each instance, it follows, therefore,in conjunction with what has been previously said, that a tight wrapwill result, despite wide variations in size of items fed into themachine.

in the alternative embodiment of slack take-up means depicted in Figure8 of the drawings, 1 avoid the use of a. rewind spring to take up theslack in the tapes following severance thereof, and in lieu thereof relyupon an upper slack take-up pulley assembly 87 associated with an uppertape roll holder 89, and a lower slack take-up pulley assembly 91associated with a lower tape roll holder 93.

The upper of these slack take-up pulley assemblies involves a lever95.fulcrumed at an intermediate point thereof to a fulcrum post 97 onthe machine frame. At one end of the lever is mounted a pulley 99 whileat the other end is suspended a counter-weight 161 of a value suflicientto over balance the weight of the pulley and lift the same in theabsence of a restraining force sufficient to overcome the effect of theweight.

The second slack take-up pulley assembly involves a lever 103 which isfulcrumed at one end on the machine frame, while at its other end, ismounted a pulley 107, such pulley and lever being adapted to drop underthe pull of gravity, in the absence of a restraining force overcomingthe same.

In use, the tape coming off of each of the tape rolls, is first passedaround the associated slack takeup pulley before being joined to thetape coming off of the other tape roll. As the item to be taped-wrapped,engages the tapes so joined, the resulting tension developed in thetapes, will cause the upper slack take-up pulley to be lowered and thelower slack take-up pulley to be lifted, and this condition prevails asthe item moves forward toward the star wheels and until the tapes areagain joined and severed, following which, the resulting joined ends ofthe tapes will be released, whereupon the slack take-up pulleys becomefree to move outwardly with respect to each other and thereby take upthe slack in the tapes untilan oncoming item again engages the tapes,and in conjunction with the slack take-up pulley assemblies, again causetension to be developed in the tapes.

Adjustable stops 1G9may be provided at convenient locations on themachine frame with respect to the slack take-up pulley assembly levers,to limit the extent of movement of such levers.

Preferably, the permissive extent of the outward movements of theslack'take-up pulleys should just about balance each other, to assurethat the item to be wrapped shall engage the tapes at the joined endsthereof.

The overall length of the machine may be somewhat reduced by supportingthe tape rolls above or slightly to the front of the star wheels asillustrated in Figure 8 in which case, an idler guide pulley 111 isincluded in each slack take-up pulley assembly, such idler guide pulleybeing mounted on a frame stub member 113 somewhat to the rear of thestar wheels, such idler guide pulleys serving to avoid interferencebetween the tapes and the star wheels, and at the same time cause thetapes to approach within a desirable angular rang the item to bewrapped.

As in the first embodiment of the invention, all driven componentsoperate from a common motor 115, to which they are drive connected by achain 117 threading around a conveyor sprocket 119, and upper and lowerstar wheel sprockets 121 and 123 respectively.

While this alternative form of slack take-up means functions on adifferent principle than the spring rewind slack take-up means firstdescribed, insofar as the effect of each on the tapes is concerned, sucheffect is substantially the same in either case. The slack created bythe severance of the tapes is quickly taken up by drawing the joinedends of the tapes in toward an oncoming item on the conveyor means,until there is engagement between such item and the joined tapes,whereupon tension develops in the tapes, causing the same to wrapthemselves about the item, as the item moves forward toward the starwheels, which then complete the wrapping operation and prepare the tapesfor the next item to come along on the conveyor.

In lieu of utilizing rolls of adhesive coated tape as described, themachine may readily be accommodated to the use of tape of other and wellknown types.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the machine just describedwill fulfill all the objects of my invention and while I have describedthe same in its preferred form, and in considerable detail, the same issubject to alteration and modification without departing from theunderlying principles involved. I, accordingly, do not desire to belimited in my protection to such de tails except as may be necessitatedby the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tape wrapping machine comprising conveyor means for carrying itemsto be wrapped with tape, a pair of tape roll holders, means for securingtogether, tapes from a pair of tape rolls and over an area of such tapeswhen such rolls are carried by said tape roll holders, means forsevering such tapes along an intermediate portion of such area torelease such tapes with their resulting ends secured together, and meansfor retacting the secured ends of such tapes toward an oncoming item onsaid conveyor means to take up the slack in such tapes and effect atensioning thereof following engagement with such item and before suchitem reaches said tape securing means.

2. A tape wrapping machine comprising conveyor means for carrying itemsto be wrapped with tape, said conveyor means including a conveyor havinga plurality of uniformly spaced cradles, a pair of tape roll holders,means for securing together, tapes from a pair of tape rolls and over anarea of such tapes when such rolls are carried by said tape rollholders, means for severing such tapes along an intermediate portion ofsuch area to release such tapes with their resulting ends securedtogether, and means for retracting the secured ends of such tapes towardan oncoming item on said conveyor means to take up the slack in suchtapes and effect a tensioning thereof following engagement with suchitem and before such item reaches said tape securing means, said taperetracting means including a slack take-up pulley assembly associatedwith each of said tape roll holders.

3. A tape wrapping machine comprising conveyor means for carrying itemsto be wrapped with tape, said conveyor means including a conveyor havinga plurality of uniformly spaced cradles, a tape roll holder above saidconveyor, a tape roll holder below said conveyor, means for securingtogether, tapes from a pair of tape rolls and over an area of such tapeswhen such rolls are carried by said tape roll holders, means forsevering such tapes along an intermediate portion of such area torelease such tapes with their resulting ends secured together, and meansfor retracting the secured ends of such tapes toward an oncoming item onsaid conveyor means to take up the slack in such tapes and effect atensioning thereof following engagement with such item and before suchitem reaches said tape securing means, said tape retracting meansincluding a slack take-up pulley assembly associated with said uppertape r011 holder and a lower slack take-up pulley assembly associatedwith said lower tape roll Cal laterally spaced conveyors, one

holder, said first slack take-up pulley involving a lever fulcrumed atan intermediate point and having a pulley at one end, and acounter-weight at its other end suflicient to over balance said pulleyand lift the same in the absence of a restraining force, said secondslack take-up pulley assembly involving a lever fulcrumed at one end andhaving a pulley at its other end, said latter pulley being adapted todrop under force of gravity in the absence of a restraining force.

4. A tape wrapping machine comprising conveyor means for carrying itemsto be wrapped with tape, said conveyor means including a conveyor havinga plurality of uniformly spaced cradles, a tape roll holder above saidconveyor, a tape roll holder below said conveyor, means for securingtogether, tapes from a pair of tape rolls and over an area of such tapeswhen such rolls are carried by said tape roll holders, means forsevering such tapes along an intermediate portion of such area torelease such tapes with their resulting ends secured together, and meansfor retracting the secured ends of such tapes toward an oncoming item onsaid conveyor means to take up the slack in such tapes and effect atensioning thereof following engagement with such item and before suchitem reaches said tape securing means, said tape retracting meansincluding a slack take-up pulley assembly associated with said uppertape roll holder and a lower slack take-up pulley assembly associatedwith said lower tape roll holder, said first slack take-up pulleyinvolving a lever fulcrumed at an intermediate point and having a pulleyat one end, and a counter-weight at its other end suificient to overbalance said pulley and lift the same in the absence of a restrainingforce, said second slack take-up pulley assembly involving a leverfulcrumed at one end and having a pulley at its other end, said latterpulley being adapted to drop under force of gravity in the absence of arestraining force, and stop means for limiting the extent of movement ofeach of said slack take-up pulleys.

5. A tape wrapping machine, comprising a pair of tape roll holders lyingin spaced relationship in a common vertical plane, conveyor meansextending between said tape roll holders and having means for holdingitems to be wrapped, means for securing together tapes from a pair ofsuch rolls and over an area of such tapes when such rolls are carried bysaid tape roll holders, means for severing such tapes along anintermediate portion of such area to release such tapes with theirresulting ends secured together, and means for retracting the securedends of such tapes toward an oncoming item on said conveyor means totake up the slack in such tapes and effect a tensioning thereoffollowing engagement with such item and before such item reaches saidtape securing means.

6. A tape wrapping machine, comprising a pair of tape roll holders lyingin spaced relationship in a common vertical plane, conveyor meansextending between said tape roll holders, said conveyor means includinga pair of laterally spaced conveyors, one on either side of the plane ofsaid tape roll holders, and having aligned means for holding items to bewrapped, means for securing together tapes from a pair of such rolls andover an area of such tapes when such rolls are carried by said tape rollholders, means for severing such tapes along an intermediate portion ofsuch area to release such tapes with their resulting ends securedtogether, and means for retracting the secured ends of such tapes towardan oncoming item on said conveyor means to take up the slack in suchtapes and effect a tensioning thereof following engagement with suchitem and before such item reaches said tape securing means.

7. A tape wrapping machine, comprising a pair of tape roll holders lyingin spaced relationship in a common vertical plane, conveyor meansextending between said tape roll holders, said conveyor means includinga pair of on either side of the plane of said tape roll holders, andcarrying aligned cradles in G which to support items to bewrapped,'means for securing together tapes from a pair of such rolls andover an area of such tapes when such rolls are carried by said tape rollholders, means for severing such tapes along an intermediate portion ofsuch area to release such tapes with their resulting ends securedtogether, and means for re tracting the secured ends of such tapestoward an oncoming item on said conveyor means to take up the slack insuch tapes and effect a tensioning thereof following engagement withsuch item and before such item reaches said tape securing means.

8. A tape wrapping machine comprising conveyor means for carryingitemsto a station for completion of a wrapping of each item with tape,said conveyor means including a plurality of uniformly spaced cradles, apair of tape roll holders, means for securing together at said stationadjacent the trailing edge of each such item, tapes from a pair of taperolls and over an area of such tapes, when such rolls are carried bysaid tape roll holders, said tape securing means involving a pair ofstar wheels having a like number of spokes, with the circumferentialspacing between spokes equal to the spacing between successive cradlesof said conveyor means, and means rotatably supporting said star Wheelsin a common plane and in peripheral contact along corresponding spokeends during rotation, with the region of contact of each pair of engaging spoke ends occurring adjacent the trailing edge of the item beingwrapped.

9. A tape wrapping machine comprising conveyor means for carrying itemsto a station for completion of a wrapping of each item with tape, saidconveyor means including a plurality of uniformly spaced cradles, a pairof tape roll holders, means for securing together at said stationadjacent the trailing edge of each such item, tapes from a pair of taperolls and over an area of such tapes, when such rolls are carried bysaid tape roll holders, said tape securing means involving a pair ofstar wheels having a like number of spokes, with the circumferentialspacing between spokes equal to the spacing between successive cradlesof said conveyor means, means rotatably supporting said star wheels in acommon plane and in peripheral contact along corresponding spoke endsduring rotation, with the region of contact of each pair of engagingspoke ends occurring adjacent the trailing edge of the item beingwrapped, and means for severing such tapes along an intermediate portionof such area to free such wrapped item and release such tapes with theirresulting ends secured together.

10. A tape wrapping machine comprising conveyor means for carrying itemsto a station wrapping of each item with tape, said conveyor meansincluding a plurality of uniformly spaced cradles, a pair of tape rollholders, means for securing together at said station adjacent thetrailing edge of each such item, tapes from a pair of tape rolls andover an area of such tapes, when such rolls are carried by said taperoll holders, said tape securing means involving a pair of star wheelshaving a like number of spokes, with the circumferential spacing betweenspokes equal to the spacing between successive cradles of said conveyormeans, means rotatably supporting said star wheels in a common plane andin peripheral contact along corresponding spoke ends during rotation,with the region of contact of each pair of engaging spoke ends occuringadjacent the trailing edge of the item being wrapped, and means forsevering such tapes along an intermediate portion of such area to freesuch wrapped item and release such tapes with their resulting endssecured together, said severing means including a reciprocable knifeblade in each of the spokes of one of said star wheels and adapted toemerge through the end of its associated spoke into engagement with theperipheral contacting spoke end of the other star Wheel.

ll. A tape wrapping machine comprising conveyor teams for carrying itemsto a station for completion of a wrapping of each item with tape, saidconveyor means for completion of a including a plurality of uniformlyspaced cradles, a pair of tape roll holders, means for securing togetherat said station adjacent the trailing edge of each such item, tapes froma pair of tape rolls and over an area of such tapes, when such rolls arecarried by said tape roll holders, said tape securing means involvingapair of star wheels having a like number of spokes, with thecircumferential spacing between spokes equal to the spacing betweensuccessive cradles of said conveyor means, rotatahly supporting saidstar wheels in a common plane and in peripheral contact alongcorresponding spoke ends during rotation, with the region of contact ofeach pair of engaging spoke ends occurring adjacent the trailing edge ofthe item being wrapped, and means for severing such tapes along anintermediate portion of such area to free such wrapped item and releasesuch tapes with their resulting ends secured together, said severingmeans including a reciprocable knife blade in each of the spokes of oneof said star wheels and adapted to emerge through the end of itsassociated spoke into engagement with the peripheral contacting spokeend of the other star wheel, a lever entering each spoke of said knifeblade containing star wheel and fulcrumed thereto, with the inner end ofsuch lever hingedly connected to the reciprocal knife blade therein, andcam means engaged by the exterior end of each lever during rotation ofsaid star wheel for reciprocating each such knife blade and urging thesame against the corresponding spoke end of the other star wheel duringengagement between such spokes.

12. The method of wrapping bunched items comprising securing togetherthe free ends of two rolls of tape, moving said bunched items againstthe junction of said tapes, wrapping said tapes under tension about saiditems, joining said tapes over an area adjacent the trailing edge ofsaid items, severing said tapes along an intermediate portion of saidarea to complete the wrapping of said bunched items and leave theremaining ends of said tapes secured together in preparation for anotherwrapping, moving a succeeding bunch of items toward the resultingsecured ends of said tapes, and simultaneously retracting said securedtapes toward said oncoming bunch to take up slack in said tapes andtension the same before complcting a wrapping of said succeeding bunchof items.

13. The method of wrapping bunched items comprising adhesively securingtogether the free ends of two rolls of adhesive tape, moving saidbunched items against the junction of said tapes, wrapping said tapesunder tension about said items, adhesively securing said tapes over anarea adjacent the trailing edge of said items, severing said tapes alongan intermediate portion of said area to complete the wrapping of saidbunched items and leave the remaining ends of said tapes adhesivelysecured together in preparation for another wrapping, moving asucceeding bunch of items toward the resulting secured ends of saidtapes, and simultaneously retracting said secured tapes toward saidoncoming bunch to take up slack in said tapes and tension the samebefore completing a wrapping of said succeeding bunch of items.

14. A tape applying machine comprising a conveyor for advancing items tobe wrapped in spaced relation along a predetermined path, tapedispensing means being arranged to support lengths of tape whoseterminal ends are joined together to provide a continuous tape disposedacross the path of the items, means associated with said dispensingmeans for tensioning said tape, means for actuating said conveyor tocarry a first item along said path in contact with said tape to drapethe tape around the forward portion of the item and along the sidesthereof, pressure means disposed adjacent said conveyor and movable intoengagement with portions of said tcnsioned tape rearwardly of the firstadvancing item to press opposing portions of the tape into sealingengagement over a predetermined area and thereby band the item, andcutter means for severing said tape at said area releasing the joinedportions of the tape behind the cutter means, whereby said joined tapeportions are snapped rearwardly under the action of said tensioningmeans into contact with the next item advanced on said conveyor.

15. A tape Wrapping machine comprising a frame including upper and lowerside rails, vertical spaced members connecting the upper rail and lowerrail of a side, horizontal cross members connecting the lower siderails; means for rotatably holding a pair of rolls of adhesive tape inspaced relationship to each other in a common vertical plane, said meansinvolving a spindle support on said frame, including a vertical supportmember affixed to the upper and lower rails of one side and extendingabove said upper rail, a shaft bracket mounted on said upper rail, ashaft bracket mounted on said vertical support member at a point belowthe elevation of said upper rail, a shaft bracket mounted on saidvertical support member at a point above the elevation of said upperrail, a shaft carried by each of said brackets and extendingtransversely of said frame; a roll of adhesive tape on the upper of saidshafts in substantially the vertical plane through the longitudinal axisof said frame and a second roll of adhesive tape on the lower of saidshafts in substantially the same plane, said tapes having their freeends adhesively secured together; means for conveying items insuccession along a path in said plane between said adhesive tape rollsto bring such an item into adhesive engagement with said tapes andtension the same to cause said tapes to adhesively Wrap about such item,said means involving a conveyor including a drive pulley means at oneend of said machine frame, idler pulley means at the other end of saidframe, a pair of belts around said drive and idler pulley means, onesuch belt lying to one side of the plane of said tapes and the other ofsaid belts lying to the other side of said plane, and a plurality ofitem holding means on each of said belts, item holding means on onebelt, each being in alignment transversely of said frame with an itemholding means on the other belt to jointly carry an item to be wrapped;means for adhesively securing said tapes together over a region adjacentthe trailing edge of each item in succession as they are carried alongand while said tapes are under tension, to complete a wrapping of eachsuch item, said means involving a pair of star Wheels having like numberof spokes, with the circumferential spacing between spokes equal to thespacing between successive item holding means; means rotatablysupporting said star wheels in a common plane between said conveyorbelts and in peripheral contact along corresponding spoke ends duringrotation, with the region of contact of each pair of engaging spoke endsoccurring adjacent the traling edge of the item being wrapped; and meansfor severing such tapes along an intermediate portion of such region tofree such wrapped item and leave such tapes secured in preparation for asuccessive item to be wrapped, said means including a reciprocable knifeblade in each of the spokes of one of said star wheels and adapted toemerge through the end of its associated spoke into engagement with theperipheral contacting spoke end of the other star wheel, a leverentering each spoke of said knife blade containing star wheel andfulcrumed thereto, With the inner end of such lever hingedly connectedto the reciprocal knife blade therein, and cam means engaged by theexterior end of each lever during rotation of said star Wheel forreciprocating each such knife blade and urging it into engagement withthe corresponding spoke end of the other star wheel during engagementtherewith.

16. A tape wrapping machine comprising a box type frame including upperand lower side rails, vertical spaced members connecting the upper railand lower rail of a side, horizontal cross members connecting the upperside rails and horizontal cross members connecting the lower side rails;means for rotatably holding a pair of rolls of adhesive tape in spacedrelationship to each other in a common vertical plane, said meansinvolving a spindle support on said frame, including a vertical supportmember afiixed to the upper and lower rails of one side and extendingabove said upper rail, a shaft bracket mounted on said vertical supportmember at a point below the elevation of said upper rail, a shaftbracket mounted on said vertical support member at a point above theelevation of said upper rail, a shaft carried by each of said bracketsand extending transversely of said frame; a roll of adhesive tape on theupper of said shafts in substantially the vertical plane through thelongitudinal axis of said frame and a second roll of adhesive tape onthe lower of said shafts in substantially the same plane, said tapeshaving their free ends adhesively secured together; means for conveyingitems in succession along a path toward the free ends of said tapes whenjoined, to bring each such item into adhesive engagement with said tapesat the junction thereof and tension the same to cause said tapes toadhesively wrap about such item, said means involving a conveyorincluding a drive pulley means at one end of said machine frame, idlerpulley means at the other end of said frame, a pair of belts around saiddrive and idler pulley means, one such belt lying to one side of theplane of said tapes and the other of said belts lying to the other sideof said plane, and a plurality of cradles on each of said belts, thecradles on one belt, each being in alignment transversely of said frame,with a cradle on the other belt to jointly carry an item to be wrapped;means for adhesively securing said tapes together over a region adjacentthe trailing edge of each item in succession as they are carried alongand while said tapes are under tension, to complete a wrapping of eachsuch item, said means involving a pair of star wheels having likenumbers of spokes, with the circumferential spacing between spokes equalto the spacing between successive cradles; means rotatably supportingsaid star wheels in a common plane between said conveyor belts and inperipheral contact along corresponding spoke ends during rotation, withthe region of contact of each pair of engaging spoke ends occurringadjacent the trailing edge of the item being wrapped; means for severingsuch tapes along an intermediate portion of such region to free suchwrapped item and leave such tapes secured in preparation for asuccessive item to be wrapped, said means including a reciprocable knifeblade in each of the spokes of one of said star wheels and adapted toemerge through the end of its associated spoke into engagement with theperipheral contacting spoke end of the other star wheel,v a leverentering each spoke of said knife blade containing star wheel andfulcrumed thereto, with the inner end of such lever hingedly connectedto the reciprocal knife blade therein, and cam means engaged by theexterior end of each lever during rotation of said star wheel forreciprocating each such knife blade and urging it into engagement withthe corresponding spoke end of the other star wheel during engagementtherewith; means following such severance for drawing in the joined endsof said tapes to meet the next oncoming items to be wrapped, and meansfor driving and coordinating the movements of said conveyor belts andstar wheels.

No references cited.

